Determination of eugenol in fish and shrimp muscle tissue by stable isotope dilution assay and solid-phase extraction coupled gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

In this study, we developed a new method for the accurate quantification of eugenol in fish samples based on stable isotope dilution assay (SIDA) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (SIDA-SPE-GC-MS/MS). Due to the difference of matrix effect (ME), it was difficult to determine accurately the level of eugenol residue in different fish and shrimp samples based on external standard calibration method. SIDA was applied to compensate matrix effect (ME) that eugenol-d3 was used as internal standard (IS). Freshwater fish (carp, channel catfish), marine fish (turbot), and shrimp (Penaeus vannawei) were used for the method validation. The average recoveries of eugenol were in the range of 94.7 to 109.78 % when the spiking levels were 10, 50, and 200 μg kg(-1). The inter-day and intra-day precisions were in the range of 1.15-8.19 and 0.71-8.45 %. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were approximately 2.5 and 5.0 μg kg(-1). This method was applied to the real fish samples assay obtained from aquaculture markets in Beijing, China. Eugenol residue was found in two fish samples with the levels at 6.2 and 7.7 μg kg(-1), respectively. Graphical abstract Determination of eugenol in fish and shrimp muscle tissue.